Understanding Wills and Estate Law

Planning for the future of your family is one of the most powerful ways to show your love. Establishing an estate plan allows you to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your assets. Many people put off estate planning until it is too late and never establish a will or a trust. These legal documents lay the groundwork for the future of your assets and your family, and play an important part in the creation of an estate plan. Of course, your individual circumstances will determine what type of will or trust you should establish, but no matter what your situation, an estate plan can be beneficial to everyone.

At Martin Attorneys, we have helped guide many families as they consider what should be included in their will, but there is so much more that helps your family when a crisis hits. For this reason, we have put together a list of resources in a effort to help our clients gain an understanding of estate planning and the legal documents associated with it.

Will: This is a legal document that states a person’s final wishes. Wills establish what is to be done with a person’s assets, including money, real estate, and other belongings after they are deceased.

Trust: A trust is used to decide how and when assets are allocated after a person is deceased. A person who establishes a trust is better able to protect their family members in the future, and can choose when, where, and how their money is used. In this way, you are able to protect your loved ones from overspending or potential predators, even after your death.

Medical Power of Attorney: A Medical Power of Attorney and a Living Will work together to allow you to direct your medical care, even when you cannot communicate. Someone else holds the power to handle all of your health care decisions, and has access to all of your medical records and can choose when and where you receive medical care. A living will is the document that states who is to inform the hospital of the types of heroic efforts that should be taken.

Durable Power of Attorney: A Durable Power of Attorney will allow the decisions you want made to happen to your money and other assets, even when you are not able to make those decisions, whether because of a medical problem or because you are removed from lines of communication.

Now is the time to establish an estate plan. These legal documents can help protect your assets and your loved ones, even after your death. Start your estate plan today while you are of healthy body and mind and prepared to make important decisions. The estate planning lawyers at Martin Attorneys are ready to help you tailor a plan based on your individual situation and to help you decide what course of action is right for you.

Don’t wait – start planning for your future today. Schedule a consultation with an estate planning lawyer at Martin Attorneys by contacting one of our offices: